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Portrait Drawing for Sale

Portraiture has existed for many centuries. The Greeks produced portraits for funeral and religious rituals; they aimed to “bring back to life those who have passed away." In the Roman era, portraits were often reserved for the ruling figures of society; for example, a warrior would have his portrait painted to illustrate his bravery during a battle. In Europe, it is only during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance that Italian and Flemish painters started to practice the art of portraiture.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, painters created works commissioned by wealthy patrons. Painters sketched out preliminary freehand drawings, which were often then approved by the patron, before beginning to work on their oil paint or, later, watercolor. Facial features were sometimes improved to the detriment of realism, although some painters were known for their ability to reproduce their models' expressions. Some artists worked in great detail while others focussed more heavily on trying to capture the real personality of their model.

For much of its history, portrait not only told a story but it also conveyed a message of power, promoting a well-controlled image to the wider population and establishing the sitter's authority through its circulation. For example, Florentine elites would use paintings and drawings as a mean of controlling their image and establishing their authority. Portraits were a way for someone to live on long after their death. Today we find the faces of aristocracies and the European bourgeoisie in many museums, immortalized by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci or Rembrandt.

The results obtained through drawing depended largely on the tools and materials used. Red chalk was very popular (especially at the beginning of the 16th century) to represent the facial features and the warmth of the skin, while charcoal produced harder lines and pastel created a softer, colorful touch. Artists adapted their technique depending on the subject and the emotion they wanted to convey. The commercialisation of pencils in the nineteenth century made it a popular medium for artists and amateurs alike. Pencil art became more popular and the tool was often used for sketching portraits.

One thing is certain; capturing facial expressions is a demanding art form and the art of portraiture requires a lot of practice. Drawing a face down to its finest details may take hours to obtain the desired result: a protruding jaw, the shape of a skull, thick brows, smiling eyes, dilated pupils… Even more difficult, are children's portraits? It can be difficult to get them to stay still for long. The artist has to be skilled enough to immortalise these men, women and children full of life.

Gradually, sketched portraits became less and less realistic but increasingly daring and experimental in terms of colour. On Artsper, discover drawings by Jean Cocteau, Julien Calot, Alice de Miramon, Philippe Pasqua, Sabine Danzé, Bahareh Navabi and Stéphanie Stindel.

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Fine Art Drawings, Croquis, Alfred Defossez

Croquis

Alfred Defossez

Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 26 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 10.2 x 0 inch

€250

Fine Art Drawings, Croquis, Alfred Defossez

Croquis

Alfred Defossez

Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 26 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 10.2 x 0 inch

€250

Fine Art Drawings, Jolie fille, Isabelle Hirtzig

Jolie fille

Isabelle Hirtzig

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

€185

Fine Art Drawings, PercéPolice, Marcoleptique

PercéPolice

Marcoleptique

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 17 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 6.7 x 0 inch

€300

Fine Art Drawings, Santo Rocco 2, Federica Frati

Santo Rocco 2

Federica Frati

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€350

Fine Art Drawings, Gandalf, Vincent Pompetti

Gandalf

Vincent Pompetti

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 60 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 23.6 inch

€950

Fine Art Drawings, Yoda, Vincent Pompetti

Yoda

Vincent Pompetti

Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 40 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 15.7 inch

€950

Fine Art Drawings, Madonna, Atom Hovhanesyan

Madonna

Atom Hovhanesyan

Fine Art Drawings - 76.2 x 55.9 x 0.03 cm Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 22 x 0 inch

€93,874

Fine Art Drawings, She Unknown, Nino Eliashvili

She Unknown

Nino Eliashvili

Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 29.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.4 x 11.6 x 0 inch

€400

Fine Art Drawings, L’Art du Bonheur, Blu_451

L’Art du Bonheur

Blu_451

Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 20 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch

€350

Fine Art Drawings, La lionne !, Noël Granger

La lionne !

Noël Granger

Fine Art Drawings - 25 x 25 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.8 x 9.8 inch

€95

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Menachem Gueffen

Sans titre

Menachem Gueffen

Fine Art Drawings - 100 x 70 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch

€1,500

Fine Art Drawings, Rhein fire, Daniel Authouart

Rhein fire

Daniel Authouart

Fine Art Drawings - 63.5 x 49 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25 x 19.3 x 0.4 inch

€4,000

Fine Art Drawings, Gainsbourg, Alain Robet

Gainsbourg

Alain Robet

Fine Art Drawings - 15 x 25 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 5.9 x 9.8 x 0 inch

€220

Fine Art Drawings, Woman Red Profile, Leo Guida

Woman Red Profile

Leo Guida

Fine Art Drawings - 44 x 32 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 17.3 x 12.6 x 0 inch

€380

Fine Art Drawings, Marilyn Monroe, Ana Maria Kis

Marilyn Monroe

Ana Maria Kis

Fine Art Drawings - 35.3 x 28.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.9 x 11.1 inch

€325

Fine Art Drawings, Arrière-plan, Zahra Zeinali

Arrière-plan

Zahra Zeinali

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 50 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€1,900

Fine Art Drawings, Jeune femme, Henri Fehr

Jeune femme

Henri Fehr

Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 22 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 8.7 x 0.1 inch

€456

Fine Art Drawings, Fille, Liubov Juravliova

Fille

Liubov Juravliova

Fine Art Drawings - 43 x 23 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.9 x 9.1 x 0 inch

€450

Fine Art Drawings, Masque 2, Evelyne Postic

Masque 2

Evelyne Postic

Fine Art Drawings - 19 x 22 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.5 x 8.7 inch

€400

Fine Art Drawings, Sans Titre, Meteo Meteo

Sans Titre

Meteo Meteo

Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch

€105

Fine Art Drawings, Herma, Zo

Herma

Zo

Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 40 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

€485

Fine Art Drawings, La vieille, Damien Berrard

La vieille

Damien Berrard

Fine Art Drawings - 41 x 31 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.1 x 12.2 x 0 inch

€75

Fine Art Drawings, N333, Maria Vanishvili

N333

Maria Vanishvili

Fine Art Drawings - 61 x 43 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 16.9 x 0.1 inch

€360

Fine Art Drawings, N555, Maria Vanishvili

N555

Maria Vanishvili

Fine Art Drawings - 41 x 29.9 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.1 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€360

Fine Art Drawings, Louise Brooks, Paloma Castello

Louise Brooks

Paloma Castello

Fine Art Drawings - 41.9 x 29.5 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.6 x 0.1 inch

€469

Fine Art Drawings, Vilma Banky, Paloma Castello

Vilma Banky

Paloma Castello

Fine Art Drawings - 41.9 x 29.5 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.6 x 0.1 inch

€469

Fine Art Drawings, Biki, Manon Gribouille

Biki

Manon Gribouille

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 inch

€200

Fine Art Drawings, Femmes 4, Arancha Tejedor

Femmes 4

Arancha Tejedor

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch

€160

Fine Art Drawings, Portrait, Gilbert Pastor

Portrait

Gilbert Pastor

Fine Art Drawings - 26.5 x 23 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.4 x 9.1 x 0 inch

€300

Fine Art Drawings, Election Day, Bernard Bécan

Election Day

Bernard Bécan

Fine Art Drawings - 23 x 14 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.1 x 5.5 x 0 inch

€320

Fine Art Drawings, Laboratory, Bernard Bécan

Laboratory

Bernard Bécan

Fine Art Drawings - 9 x 13 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 3.5 x 5.1 x 0 inch

€320

Fine Art Drawings, Personnages VI, Arancha Tejedor

Personnages VI

Arancha Tejedor

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch

€160

Fine Art Drawings, Octavios !!!!, Andy Berrend

Octavios !!!!

Andy Berrend

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

€190

Fine Art Drawings, Soultanayya, Andy Berrend

Soultanayya

Andy Berrend

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

€190

Fine Art Drawings, Jad, Andy Berrend

Jad

Andy Berrend

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

€190

Fine Art Drawings, Rida & Ridesh, Andy Berrend

Rida & Ridesh

Andy Berrend

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

€190

Fine Art Drawings, Joseph, Helen Uter

Joseph

Helen Uter

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€480

Fine Art Drawings, Charles, Dominique Pourchet

Charles

Dominique Pourchet

Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 26 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 10.2 x 0 inch

€135

Fine Art Drawings, Le Grenier, Michaël Brack

Le Grenier

Michaël Brack

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.8 inch

€480

Fine Art Drawings, Le Crâne, Michaël Brack

Le Crâne

Michaël Brack

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 42 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 16.5 inch

€480

Fine Art Drawings, Lesley Nimmo, Lewis Scott

Lesley Nimmo

Lewis Scott

Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 42 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 16.5 inch

€1,350

Fine Art Drawings, Tête, Herve Malcom Thomas

Tête

Herve Malcom Thomas

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€165

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Painting, No Need To Hide, tizlu

No Need To Hide

tizlu

Painting - 40 x 40 x 1.5 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.6 inch

€1,280

Fine Art Drawings, We Need You!, tizlu

We Need You!

tizlu

Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 40 x 1.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.6 inch

€1,600

Print, Untiteled, JM Robert

Untiteled

JM Robert

Print - 65 x 50 x 1 cm Print - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€800

Painting, Balloon girl, Mr Brainwash

Balloon girl

Mr Brainwash

Painting - 76 x 56 x 1 cm Painting - 29.9 x 22 x 0.4 inch

€8,000

Need help with Portrait Drawing ?
What are some tips for drawing a realistic portrait?

To draw a realistic portrait, start with a good reference photo, pay attention to proportions, use shading to create depth, and focus on capturing the subject's unique features. Practice regularly and don't be afraid to make mistakes.

How do you choose the right materials for portrait drawing?

When choosing materials for portrait drawing, consider the surface texture, color, and weight of the paper, as well as the type and quality of the pencils or charcoal. Opt for high-quality materials that allow for precision and detail, and experiment with different combinations to find what works best for your style and technique.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when drawing a portrait?

When drawing a portrait, it's important to avoid common mistakes such as not paying attention to proportions, neglecting to capture the subject's unique features, and using too much or too little shading. Additionally, it's important to take breaks and step back to assess the overall composition.